Naomi Cooper
Virgin Orbit has launched seven small satellites to low Earth orbit during its first evening launch mission, dubbed Straight Up, in support of the U.S. Space Force’s Rocket Systems Launch Program.
The company said Saturday its fully mobile LauncherOne rocket lifted off from the Mojave Air and Space Port in Southern California and carried all seven payloads that will support Earth atmospheric science studies and experiments for developing spacecraft technologies and approaches for satellite applications.
The payloads, which were provided by the Department of Defense Space Test Program, reached an orbit approximately 500 kilometers above the Earth’s surface with an inclination of 45 degrees.
Straight Up, also known as STP-S28, is the first of the three launch missions Virgin Orbit is contracted to conduct for the Space Force under a $35 million contract awarded to the company’s national security arm in April 2020.
